Hear me out—animated TV shows are not just for kids. I have spent the past few years watching all kinds of animated shows. There is a certain level of comfort that I get from the vibrant storytelling that has gotten me through my first years of college. With endless assignments, late-night cramming, and the general chaos of student life, animated shows have provided a much-needed escape and a sense of cozy familiarity. If you haven’t yet experienced Dead End: Paranormal Park, then make way for a binge-watch that’s short but worth it. Dead End: Paranormal Park holds a special place in my heart because it strikes a perfect balance between humor and horror, creating an engaging and immersive experience. The show is set in a haunted theme park where the protagonists navigate a world filled with ghostly encounters and mystical challenges. The show involves a dynamic duo that brings charm and wit to every episode along with an entourage of unique characters. As a big fan of Gravity Falls, I was craving a show that could offer a similar blend of mystery and whimsy, and Dead End: Paranormal Park filled that void in me. The clever writing and rich character development are what set Dead End: Paranormal Park apart from most shows, animated or not. Each episode dives into the characters’ backstories and personal growth, while also unveiling a larger, mysterious plot that keeps you hooked. The animation style is vibrant and engaging, which not only enhances the fantastical elements but also brings the spooky settings to life in a way that’s both thrilling and visually captivating. The attention to detail in the animation made every haunted ride and eerie corner of the park especially captivating. What truly resonated with me was the way the series explores deeper themes such as identity, friendship, and courage. It’s a show that, despite being aimed at a younger audience, offers emotional depth that can touch viewers of all ages. It is one of the few kid's shows that I've watched that actually touches heavy topics like this. The show features queer representation which is groundbreaking for kid's TV at the time this show came out. I had moments where I found myself full-on crying as I watched the characters face challenges and grow. However, I have some sad news. Despite its charm and creativity, Dead End: Paranormal Park was unfortunately canceled after its second season. This cancellation was a disappointment to many fans, including myself, who had hoped for more adventures from the show, and a conclusion to the plot. Yet, despite its premature end, the series is still a treasure trove of captivating storytelling and heartfelt moments. It’s a show that’s well worth watching, offering a unique and enriching experience that makes it stand out in the realm of animated series. And who knows, maybe if enough people start watching the show again, Netflix will renew for a third season. So, if you’re looking for something that combines humor, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural with a lot of heart, Dead End: Paranormal Park should be at the top of your watchlist. You won't regret it.

The moment I started my first Minecraft world, punched a tree, and built a small hut to hide from monsters at night, I was hooked. I was terrified of the creatures that my older brother warned me about, so I stayed in my hut the entire night, not daring to come out. As I slowly played the game and decided to continue building my hut into a house, I was more than just hooked. That was 2012. I continued playing the game, taking it along with me on my iPod touch, playing it everywhere I went. That world of Minecraft was my first experience with an open-world game, something that could be more imaginative than everyday life. It was my first introduction to building and creativity beyond elementary art class. The absolute freedom that I felt playing Minecraft resonated with me, but it was the opportunity to design and create things that made me passionate about the game. I remember the day vividly when I created a new world on Super Flat, delighted by the idea that I was going to build a city in Minecraft. I had already been playing the game for a few years at this point, but still not long enough that I was comfortable playing survival mode. I loaded my creative super flat world and built the first house in the city. It was a modern house, something simple but it was still so detailed that it had a popcorn machine inside. After an entire summer of building up my world, I had a small town! I built about 5 suburban houses, the roads connecting them, a McDonald's, and a gas station. It doesn't sound like much but at about 13 years old, I felt super proud of that world. Soon after that, I started building a town in a regular creative world, and then after that, I would start playing survival and continue building my towns. The more and more I played, the more I pushed my creativity. The thrill of watching my creations come to life was indescribable, a feeling of pure joy and fulfillment. Now, I am heading into my final year of architecture school. That passion for building and creativity that I got from playing Minecraft sparked an interest that would become my career. The hours spent designing and building in that digital world were influential in shaping my passion for architecture. Minecraft gave me a place to explore my creativity, experiment with design ideas, and dream of builds that exceeded the boundaries of the real world. The cities and towns I built in my virtual worlds weren't just games; they were a precursor to my real-world ambitions and a source of inspiration that continues to drive me forward. I've still never beaten the Ender dragon in my 12 years of playing the game. The opportunity for endless building, exploring, and collecting has always been enough for me, and I still come back to the game now and then when I get a break from school. Minecraft’s ability to transform my childhood dreams into tangible experiences has left a mark on me and those memories that Minecraft gave me will forever stay with me.

From a young age, I have learned the importance of sustainability. I was taught by my parents that it is worth our time to go out of our way to recycle and conserve our planet for future generations. I have early memories of collecting our soda cans over months to throw into our school recycling trailer. Not only were we helping the environment, but we were also supporting our school's recycling fundraiser program. This idea of recycling and sustainability throughout my childhood has formed my career goals. Today, I am an architecture major and a future architect. Most people would believe that mass transportation like cars and airplanes consumes the most energy, but it is our buildings. In the United States alone, buildings are responsible for 40% of our energy consumption. The pressures on architects today are forever increasing, and my generation is becoming responsible for fixing the problems created by past architects. I hope to use my architecture career to advocate for more sustainable buildings. Every day, I am learning more and more about sustainable practices and what can be done in our buildings to make them more energy-efficient and cost-effective. I believe that we do not need to sacrifice beautiful design to create more sustainable buildings. There is the challenge of designing beautiful buildings with sustainable systems that drives me to further explore a career in sustainable architecture. We have the precedents today of net-zero energy buildings to prove to us that it is possible, and the challenge now is to make it a regular, everyday practice. At my university, there is active research by my professors to learn new ways to create sustainable buildings. I have learned how we use living organisms like mycelium (yes, mushrooms!) as a compostable building material and a completely renewable resource. Another research project that one of my professors has been working on is an algae wall that forms a window system that reduces building energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. These are opportunities in the sustainability field that inspire me, but sustainable architecture doesn't always have to be super abstract projects like these. Many new sustainable practices are newly present in our buildings through sustainable energy generation, architectural interventions, and sustainable materials. Receiving this scholarship would allow me to continue to pursue these ideas. Creating more sustainable architecture requires research and exploration, which takes time and education. I don't know exactly where my career will take me, whether I am in a research lab discovering new sustainable systems, or working as an architect using sustainable systems to create energy-efficient buildings. I want more than to be stuck behind a computer in a large firm. I want to advance our world and create a better place for our children and grandchildren, and that starts with the design of our buildings.

In high school, my favorite classes were visual arts and vocal music, and it took a long time before I realized what type of career I wanted. I had a teacher who told me that if you can't decide on a career field to go into, choose a path that involves your favorite class in school. The problem I struggled with was how we grew up learning that we could be whatever we wanted to be, but not everything is realistic, or in other words, don't go into the arts. This idea made it difficult for me because my favorite classes created the most "unrealistic" career paths. That was until I found a career that involved the arts and would still be successful without letting go of my creativity. I have now made it through two years of architecture school, and I could not be happier with my choice to pursue architecture. Architecture has opportunities to create things beyond a picture on a canvas. I love painting and drawing, but the designer in me always wanted more. In everyday life, we tend to forget that architecture is a form of art; it is the form of art created for us to experience. I have already been able to design and build something lifesize, made entirely out of cardboard, which has given me a new appreciation for how much we take for granted the spaces we experience. Architecture doesn't have to mean designing countless office buildings that look identical. With an education in architecture, I can create things that will evoke emotions and that people will experience. My projects can have the power to give people excitement, peace, comfort, and so much more. We have all looked at a painting or drawing and thought about what it would be like to jump into it. Architecture is everybody's chance to do that, and that is something that I can create for us.

There is a lot to know about me, but it is meaningful to know about the first time that I felt like I mattered. I always felt loved because I had great parents, but it wasn't easy for me to feel like I was important. Everyone had their "thing" that they were good at, but not me. I wasn't sure what I was good at, and if anything, I was just proud of my work ethic. I did a lot of activities like soccer, choir, girl scouts, and more, but there was nothing I did that felt like it was my purpose. I was a good student and always did well in school, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was worthless. This time was difficult for me because it was the beginning of being told that we had to start thinking about what our careers would be. In hindsight, not being the best at anything was good for me because it led me to be much more well-rounded. The moment came when I was a sophomore in high school taking a visual arts class for the first time. Growing up, I always loved art and creativity, but it never seemed like I was particularly good at it. Despite that, art quickly became my favorite class in school, and I looked forward to it every day. Then, in my first semester of art, I received an award and was recognized for one of my art pieces. This moment was the first time I felt like I mattered. Fast forward four years, and I am studying architecture, a degree that combines every part of STEAM. Because I excelled in any subject despite not being the best in my class, I found my footing in architecture. I loved the idea of combining art, math, and science because I loved all of those subjects and struggled to choose a single career for one of them. I was intrigued when I learned about the process of architecture and how it involves thinking creatively and technically, and it incorporates many different disciplines. My favorite part about architecture is that there is so much to learn about it, and it can go in any direction imaginable. The science and technology of architecture are constantly evolving, and there is always a new form of expression taking place in the architectural world. This ever-changing field is what got me interested in architectural history and sustainability. I love learning about how architecture has changed over time and how we can continue to advance in our technology. Architecture has given me newfound importance knowing that I have a chance to make a significant impact on the world. I care about the environment and how our buildings affect it, but I also care about the experience that a person gets from the built environment. I hope to create spaces that uplift people and leave them thinking about the space they are in rather than not caring about what is built around them. I want to contribute to creating a more sustainable environment so that the things we create can stay around for longer, or in other words, stay around longer to enjoy the things we create. Knowing that I can make something that will positively affect people and the environment is how I know I matter, and I cannot wait to start.

I grew up in a small town with minimal opportunities for people my age to help the community. In high school, I often volunteered at miscellaneous jobs like stocking food shelves at our local food pantry, organizing clothes at our local shelter, or helping lay mulch at the town park. I was able to do these types of miscellaneous jobs a few times each, having small positive impacts on my community by just being helpful. I did these random jobs a lot, but it wasn't until I got to college that I began to volunteer consistently with the same organization where I really began to feel that my volunteering had a huge impact on the community. This past semester at UNC Charlotte, I got involved with the Black Child Development Institute, an organization that works to improve the schooling experience for children in the area. I was able to work with a local school and volunteer as a tutor during afterschool. Over my time volunteering at this school for about 8 weeks straight, I noticed the positive change I was having in my community. The kindergarteners that I saw every week started calling me their best friend, cousin, or even sister. I learned every single one of the 12 kindergarteners' names within 2 weeks of working with them, along with them learning my name. Working with kindergarteners can be hectic as they can be little balls of big energy, but I believe that is how I got the most out of that experience. I loved seeing my impact on these children and watching them grow for a short period of time. Volunteering with local organizations has always been my way of having a positive impact on my community, and moving to a bigger city has only opened up those opportunities.

After over 4 years of art being my favorite subject in school, I don't think I've ever considered what my favorite piece of art is. There are a lot of works of art that have influenced me and hold some sort of emotional value in my mind, but the piece of art that compels me most is "Waterfall" by MC Escher. It may not exactly be a classic or even MC Escher's most famous piece, but "Waterfall" holds meaning to me for many different reasons. In my high school art classroom, right behind where I sat in my last semester of high school, hung a copy of MC Escher's "Waterfall." For 3 years in a row, I saw that drawing, and I could have looked at it for the entire class period every day I was in class. I loved how it was an illusion without screaming "I'M AN ILLUSION!" One day, my art teacher was asking me what I thought I could do for my next project. I had been wanting to do a 3-point perspective drawing, something I hadn't done before. When I told him that, he gave me the suggestion to make it an Escher-style drawing. That "Waterfall" drawing became the inspiration for how I would create my own MC Escher drawing. That drawing would be the first thing I add to my portfolio to get into architecture. Architecture had been a big interest of mine for a long time, and MC Escher's drawings sparked that interest in architecture in a new way for me. It was architecture that defied every law of physics, and I find that extremely cool. Creating my own Escher-style drawing gave me an appreciation for his work. It takes a level of creativity and imagination I hope to have in my career.

I have memories of me as kid constantly asking my parents questions about new things I hear about. We would watch TV religiously because it was my dad's favorite form of entertainment, and every once in a while there would be something on TV that I didn't understand. Sometimes I would hear someone say something at school that I didn't understand. Maybe I would see something that didn't make sense to me. My thoughts would often peak questions in my mind about the most random of things. I never hesitated to ask about these things that made me wonder. I still get random questions in my head daily. My google search history is full of questions. I was lucky to have parents that encouraged my curiosity, and now, that curiosity has translated into my love for learning. Growing up, I've always enjoyed school. The reasons I enjoyed it have changed over the years, but something that I've learned about myself is that I love learning. I never want to stop learning. There is always an opportunity to learn new things, no matter your age or point in your career. As a young person, I am taking advantage of the opportunities I have to learn at a 4-year university. Throughout high school, I had so much trouble narrowing down what careers to pursue. It was hard for me because I had interests in just about every field that had to do with creativity, math, science, and technology. I still have trouble imagining where my career will go because I am interested in so many different careers. That's how I ended up choosing architecture. I love learning so much that I chose a degree that would teach me a little bit of everything with a focus in design. For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to go to a 4-year university after high school. For a while, I didn't think there was any other option, but once I learned that I wasn't required to pursue higher education to be successful, I was still set on going to college. As I learned about the challenges I would face as a woman in the real world, it became important to me to be educated to keep up with the world. I've grown to know my worth, and I know it is in furthering my education. There is nothing more empowering than being well educated and achieving that on your own, and I want that as a woman. To me, success is my education, not my money or fame. With knowledge, I can do anything, and that is why I will never stop learning.